GAM vs. VIG
Compare and contrast key facts about General American Investors Company, Inc. (GAM) and Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG).
VIG is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index. It was launched on Dec 19, 2013.
Performance
GAM vs. VIG - Performance Comparison
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GAM vs. VIG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GAM General American Investors Company, Inc. | -0.44% | 28.63% | 29.55% | 26.84% | -14.84% | 20.56% | 5.85% | 41.76% | -10.25% | 21.32% |
VIG Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | -1.77% | 14.17% | 16.99% | 14.51% | -9.80% | 23.76% | 15.43% | 29.62% | -2.08% | 22.22% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GAM achieves a -0.44% return, which is significantly higher than VIG's -1.77% return. Over the past 10 years, GAM has outperformed VIG with an annualized return of 14.54%, while VIG has yielded a comparatively lower 12.25% annualized return.
GAM
- 1D
- 2.63%
- 1M
- -5.37%
- YTD
- -0.44%
- 6M
- 4.50%
- 1Y
- 29.07%
- 3Y*
- 25.04%
- 5Y*
- 14.77%
- 10Y*
- 14.54%
VIG
- 1D
- 2.07%
- 1M
- -5.18%
- YTD
- -1.77%
- 6M
- 0.45%
- 1Y
- 12.67%
- 3Y*
- 13.80%
- 5Y*
- 9.76%
- 10Y*
- 12.25%
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Return for Risk
GAM vs. VIG — Risk / Return Rank
GAM
VIG
GAM vs. VIG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for General American Investors Company, Inc. (GAM) and Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| GAM | VIG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.84 | 0.83 | +1.01 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.63 | 1.28 | +1.35 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.18 | +0.22 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.61 | 1.28 | +1.33 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.20 | 5.73 | +8.47 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| GAM | VIG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.84 | 0.83 | +1.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.93 | 0.69 | +0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.83 | 0.77 | +0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.44 | 0.57 | -0.13 |
Correlation
The correlation between GAM and VIG is 0.81, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
GAM vs. VIG - Dividend Comparison
GAM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.95%, more than VIG's 1.61% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GAM General American Investors Company, Inc. | 10.95% | 11.32% | 8.82% | 6.17% | 4.15% | 1.38% | 6.72% | 6.49% | 9.67% | 9.56% | 10.20% | 3.60% |
VIG Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | 1.61% | 1.62% | 1.73% | 1.88% | 1.96% | 1.55% | 1.63% | 1.71% | 2.08% | 1.88% | 2.14% | 2.34% |
Drawdowns
GAM vs. VIG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GAM drawdown since its inception was -66.63%, which is greater than VIG's maximum drawdown of -46.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GAM and VIG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GAM | VIG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -66.63% | -46.81% | -19.82% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.00% | -10.83% | -0.17% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.09% | -20.39% | -5.70% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.78% | -31.72% | -10.06% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.09% | -6.00% | -0.09% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.62% | -5.55% | -6.07% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.03% | 2.42% | -0.39% |
Volatility
GAM vs. VIG - Volatility Comparison
General American Investors Company, Inc. (GAM) has a higher volatility of 5.92% compared to Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG) at 4.07%. This indicates that GAM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VIG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GAM | VIG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.92% | 4.07% | +1.85% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.42% | 7.84% | +0.58% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.85% | 15.31% | +0.54% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.95% | 14.26% | +1.69% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.62% | 16.05% | +1.57% |